Pantothenate Kinase Neurodegeneration: How common is it?

The condition causes difficulty in moving.

It usually occurs during childhood.

People also have problem with speech.

Intellectual functions can also be affected.

What is Pantothenate Kinase-associated Neurodegeneration?

Pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration is a condition of the nervous system. The condition has characteristics like difficulty in moving, which typically begin in childhood. The abnormalities in the movement include involuntary muscle spasms, rigidity and problem with walking that can worsen with time. Many people who suffer from this condition also have problems with speech and some have vision loss.

Besides there could also be loss of intellectual function and psychiatric symptoms like behavioral problems, personality changes and depression.

In this disorder, an abnormal buildup of iron in certain areas of the brain takes place. A change which is known as eye-of-the-tiger sign, which shows the accumulation of iron, is typically seen on the magnetic resonance imaging scans of the brain.

There are classic and atypical forms of pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration according to the researchers. The classic form usually occurs in early childhood, leading to severe problems with movement that worsen rapidly. The signs and symptoms vary but the atypical form is more likely than the classic form to involve speech defects and psychiatric problems.

How Common is Pantothenate Kinase-associated Neurodegeneration?

Any precise incidence of pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration is yet to be known. It is estimated to affect 1 to 3 million people worldwide.

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